Ménage à Trois

Gearing up for triathlon season. 

Summer is here, and with it comes triathlon race season. If you’ve never done one before, fear not—triathlon training isn’t nearly as intimidating as it may seem. The most important thing is simplicity. It can be as easy as swim, bike, run, repeat. Seven days in a week breaks down into two sessions of each discipline. These could be individual sessions, but they could also be doubled up as combination sessions as well. Swim, then bike. Or bike, then run. These double-headers are also known as “brick” sessions in the triathlon lingo. Regardless of your training schedule, here’s a basic breakdown.

The Swim
Training for the swim portion can be wide-ranging, but keep it simple by alternating longer, slower sets of 200 to 500 meters with shorter, quicker sets of 50 to100 meters. In the beginning, rest as much as you need to in order to complete the next set successfully. As you progress, having fixed rest intervals will help you build fitness. You should, at least, be able to swim the distance of the race and then some.

The Bike
Any bike will do, but it is better to have a road bike. Again, keep your training as simple as possible. The bike segment typically makes up a large proportion of a triathlon. Some athletes choose to ride their bikes every day of the week, but you can get away with much less. Most of your rides can be moderate effort, but you also want to practice at threshold efforts. Threshold effort can simply be thought of as the highest effort you can handle for a certain time or distance without getting out of breath. After a warmup, ride hard for four minutes with equal rest. Repeat that, times five, to help build fitness. Performing repeated efforts on hills will also help.

The Run
The distance of your race will determine how many miles you have to put in each week. Running after each bike session will be beneficial and aid in avoiding “jelly-legs” when you transition from biking to running during the race. Of course, running-only sessions are important as well. Build up your mileage as much as you can while being careful to avoid injury. Generally, don’t increase mileage more than ten percent per week.

Nutrition
There are many dietary plans to follow, but find something that works well for you. A proper amount of carbohydrates, protein, and fats are important for optimal training. Don’t forget about electrolytes, as well.

The Home Stretch
Build up your weekly training appropriately. Take days off as needed. Mobilize and stretch your muscles often. A coach can help make your training plan more specific, but friends who are proficient in any of the three disciplines can help you develop your training regimen as well. Plan your work and work your plan.

Race Schedule
There are a handful of triathlons in southwest Montana, and beyond. Here’s a selection of popular options:

Bozeman Triathlon (June 15)
Whitefish Lake Triathlon (June 28)
Madison Triathlon (July 5)
Montana Women’s Triathlon (July 20)

Matthew Parks is the race director of the Bozeman Triathlon. He also owns an endurance coaching enterprise, Moving Forward. He can be reached at 406-580-7897.